The present invention relates to polyester plasticizers for polyvinyl chloride resin (PVC) and the like, and more particularly to a method for improving the odor thereof while maintaining or improving requisite performance properties.
Many polymers tend to crystallize due to the regularity and symmetry of the polymer backbone. One method for reducing this crystallinity is by careful selection of the monomer units or by utilizing plasticizing comonomers. Such methods are known as internal plasticization. An alternative method for modifying the glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) of the polymer is to add a low molecular weight compound as a plasticizer for the polymer. This method of plasticization is referred to usually as external plastization since the plasticizer is not chemically combined with the polymer. Performance properties of external plasticizers are known in the art and will be set forth in the examples. Depending upon the ultimate use of the polymer, the odor of the plasticizer may or may not be important. For example, polymeric refrigerator gaskets must not transfer odor to food and, thus, such low odor requirement is placed upon the plasticizer. Other intended uses of the polymer may have such low odor requirement also.
Heretofore, East German Patent No. 62,047 has proposed to improve the odor and color of a polyester plasticizer by an alkaline hydrogen peroxide treatment. German Offenlegunschrift No. 2042402 proposes to treat the polyester plasticizer with vacuum distillation, steam deodorization, and a bicarbonate/activated carbon filtration sequence in order to improve the odor. U.S. Pat. No. 3,390,170 has proposed to treat the ester plasticizers with bisphenol A polycarbonate in order to improve their odor. Sully et al., J. Appl. Chem. (London), 16(11), 333-335 (1966) has proposed a GLC technique to measure volatile odors in plasticizers and thereby remove such volatile odors through the column.
While such techniques have met with some success, the present invention provides an improved method for reducing the odor of such polyester plasticizers while maintaining, and often improving, the outstanding properties desired.